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Four states Oli’s own idea: Nepal

The recent proposal of CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli to federate the country into four provinces, against the party’s official position of seven states, has troubled not only the major parties in the Constituent Assembly but his own colleague and rival Madhav Kumar Nepal.

In an indication of a widening rift in the party, Nepal registered a ‘memorandum’ against Oli at the party’s Central Committee meeting on Friday criticising the newly elected party chief’s moves.

Immediately after the meeting started, Nepal—who was narrowly edged by Oli during the party’s ninth general convention—said that Oli had complicated the constitution writing process by proposing a four-province federal model. In a written statement, Nepal charged Oli with inviting confrontations within and outside the party by adopting an “autocratic” working style.

“Where will our party reach if individual leaders make public statements as they please without consultation in the party?” Nepal objected.

The seven-point memorandum that was read out in the meeting and subsequently submitted to the party secretariat states that Oli’s proposal has created serious problems in timely promulgation of the new constitution. The party advocated seven provinces during the CA polls last year while Oli argues that fewer federal units are economically viable. Nepal also came down heavily on Oli for appointing party ministers and Parliamentary Party office bearers and nominating lawmakers without taking all UML leaders into confidence.

Nepal said that Oli breached the Supreme Court order while nominating lawmakers in the party’s quota and flouted the UML standards by awarding lawmakers’ positions to those who were elected under the proportional representation category in the first CA.

Oli is criticised also for not consulting in the party while forming the Landless Squatters’ Problem Resolution Commission in 72 districts. The committee comprises mostly Oli supporters, according to Nepal, without regard for an agreement to share the representatives equally.

Contrary to the party’s decision not to repeat lawmakers nominated under the PR category earlier, central committee member Agni Kharel was nominated a lawmaker citing his expertise on constitutional affairs. He was later made the UML chief whip against the Nepal faction’s plan to appoint Rajendra Pandey to the post.

Oli replaced two ministers--Bhim Acharya and Karna Bahadur Thapa--with Deepak Chandra Amatya and Mahesh Basnet without discussing the matter in the party. Dissatisfied, Nepal has sought reasons for the replacements.

“The two ministers were removed disgracefully,” Nepal stated in the letter, adding that the act could not be justified.

“I request you to run the party in consensus ... It will be a blunder if my request is not taken seriously,” he warned.

Oli supporters read the warning as a consequence of Nepal not consulted in decision-making. “It does not suit MK Nepal, who headed the party for 15 years, to act like this. He is still trying to present himself as one heading the party,” said Rajan Bhattarai, an Oli supporter.

After listening to Nepal’s charges, Oli said he would respond in the next meeting.

Nepal’s charges

- Oli’s stance of four states invites confrontation among parties

- Arbitrary appointment of ministers, lawmakers and party office bearers

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